DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.30696#0061
1486.J
HOMER.
51
There is a gi'eat peculiarity in the eapital letters of this impression;
they being of almost the same size as the lower-case letters. It is
without signatures, catchwords, and numerals. A clean genuine copy;
in red-morocco binding.
253. Homerus. Batrachomyomachia. Gr.
JPrinted hy Laonicus Cretensis. 1486. Quarto.
I have before observed that this is one of the most singular and
scarce editions of all the works of ancient classical authors, and has
been usually called the Editio Princeps of this poem. It is printed
in red and black lines alternately. Introd. to the Classics* vol. i. p.
396. The reader may consult p. 127 of the preceding volume of the
present work; in which tliere is a fac-simile of the same type, from
the Psalter of the same year: executed, apparently, by a brother of the
printer of this edition. In regard to the priority of the present, and
the immediately subsequent, edition of the Batrachomyomachia, it, is
with deference that I differ from the learned Abbe Morelli, by giving
chronological precedence to this impression of 1486 ; and for reasons,
submitted in the ensuing article, I incline to think the latter to be of a
date very little earlier than 1490. It remains to give a sufficiently
minute, although brief, description of this very rare and curious little
volume.
On the recto of t.he first leaf, sign. ii, we have thie following title in
red and black.
"OMH'POT' BflTPtfXO'MTO'M
AXIOC EN AE TICITIT^H
TOC TOT Kocpoc
There are 24 lines beneath. The signatures run to i. ii. iii. in eights.
On the recto of the 23 d and last leaf, we have the following colophon:
* A further short extract from the above work may not be unacceptable. ‘ In the Bibl.
Askev. no. 1876, there was the following note [by Dr. Taylor] written in the copy which
was sold at the sale for 142. 14s. ‘ This book is so extremely rare, that I never saw any
other copy of it, except that of Mons. de Boze, who told me he gave 650 livres for it. Mr.
Smitli, our Consul at Venice, wrote me word that he had purchased a copy, hut that it was
imperfect. Lord Oxford offered Maittaire 50 guineas for the identical copy.’ The sup-
posed Milan impression, of the date of 1485, is merely supposititious. Saxius notices
such an impression on the information of a friend ; who hacl described it as being printed in
red and black lines—evidently tlie edition here above described. See the Hist, Lit. Typog.
Mediol. p. dlxxxi, note q.
HOMER.
51
There is a gi'eat peculiarity in the eapital letters of this impression;
they being of almost the same size as the lower-case letters. It is
without signatures, catchwords, and numerals. A clean genuine copy;
in red-morocco binding.
253. Homerus. Batrachomyomachia. Gr.
JPrinted hy Laonicus Cretensis. 1486. Quarto.
I have before observed that this is one of the most singular and
scarce editions of all the works of ancient classical authors, and has
been usually called the Editio Princeps of this poem. It is printed
in red and black lines alternately. Introd. to the Classics* vol. i. p.
396. The reader may consult p. 127 of the preceding volume of the
present work; in which tliere is a fac-simile of the same type, from
the Psalter of the same year: executed, apparently, by a brother of the
printer of this edition. In regard to the priority of the present, and
the immediately subsequent, edition of the Batrachomyomachia, it, is
with deference that I differ from the learned Abbe Morelli, by giving
chronological precedence to this impression of 1486 ; and for reasons,
submitted in the ensuing article, I incline to think the latter to be of a
date very little earlier than 1490. It remains to give a sufficiently
minute, although brief, description of this very rare and curious little
volume.
On the recto of t.he first leaf, sign. ii, we have thie following title in
red and black.
"OMH'POT' BflTPtfXO'MTO'M
AXIOC EN AE TICITIT^H
TOC TOT Kocpoc
There are 24 lines beneath. The signatures run to i. ii. iii. in eights.
On the recto of the 23 d and last leaf, we have the following colophon:
* A further short extract from the above work may not be unacceptable. ‘ In the Bibl.
Askev. no. 1876, there was the following note [by Dr. Taylor] written in the copy which
was sold at the sale for 142. 14s. ‘ This book is so extremely rare, that I never saw any
other copy of it, except that of Mons. de Boze, who told me he gave 650 livres for it. Mr.
Smitli, our Consul at Venice, wrote me word that he had purchased a copy, hut that it was
imperfect. Lord Oxford offered Maittaire 50 guineas for the identical copy.’ The sup-
posed Milan impression, of the date of 1485, is merely supposititious. Saxius notices
such an impression on the information of a friend ; who hacl described it as being printed in
red and black lines—evidently tlie edition here above described. See the Hist, Lit. Typog.
Mediol. p. dlxxxi, note q.